Glad you’re okay! Thanks for sharing so that the rest of us can benefit from your experience.

Same. Parisians were very nice to us and the only french I know is: “Est-ce que vous parlez anglais?”

Things I didn’t expect to encounter today: someone who is really smug about the type of butter they buy.

The answer is usually: “No idea. We’ll talk with your insurance and let you know the price in 2-3 months (when it’s conveniently too late for you to turn down the treatment).”

As a lettuce-hater, I approve this message. I’d much rather stir-fry a bunch of vegetables in couple teaspoons of oil. Comparable amounts of calories to a salad with dressing, but much tastier, and much more filling to me.

It’s going to be a tiny fraction just on the basis of how few mass shooters there are (I mean, don’t get me wrong, there are way too many, but it’s still a tiny percentage of people).

Really depends on how risk-tolerant you are. Imagine a scenario like this:

Hmm, looks tasty, and we happen to have all the ingredients, sans frozen cranberries. Maybe I’ll try one after the caipirinhas we had planned.

Can confirm they make great pets. We had a retired racing greyhound as a kid. He slept like 18-20 hours per day and was very mellow and sweet. Don’t let the size throw you off - they can curl up into tiny balls and they are cuddle monsters.

I dunno man, they’re your friends. Although, with your attitude, not sure they’re gonna be friends for very long.

Uh... no? I said “it’s on you to think of something else which everyone in the group might find enjoyable”. If you suggest something vile, you’re still being a dick.

It’s dickish if you suggest something that only you like. But it’s on you to think of something else which everyone in the group might find enjoyable, if you’re going to veto.

Nice, love Anne Lamott! This will be the first episode of The Upgrade I try - been meaning to forever and the guest pushed me over the edge.

Our smallest dog was $35 from the shelter - and then the fee was waived because she happened to be the sponsored pet of the month or something like that. So it’s possible I guess.

Can I just say whoever does the art for these After Hours posts (is it always Jim Cooke?) is a freaking genius. I love that sloth.

Hospitals also win, because it means they don’t have to compete with other hospitals. If I have no idea what you’re going to charge me, it’s not like I can go down the street to shop with another hospital. And they can do shady things like charge $30 for a couple advil, or $6000 for a 10-minute emergency room visit, be…

Can you imagine any other industry working like that?

Regardless of how you feel about corporal punishment, still felt really weird to be pulled out of the story to be lectured about his stance on the issue for an entire chapter. It’s not remotely related to the plot - it’s like he felt like writing an essay instead of a novel one day.

I read Starship Troopers last year. While there are some interesting ideas in there and it’s hugely influential in sci-fi, I had a hard time actually enjoying it. The characters were flat, and it felt like he often sacrificed the story to communicate some political or philosophical point.

Very wise question. Most people on twitter are not willing to argue in good faith. Ridiculing them instead is an alternative, but it changes no minds, and in fact tends to stoke the flames of political tribalism, in my experience.